Gray Column: Worthy to be called hero

The word hero often gets misused. We use it to describe the actions of our favorite sports athletes -- although they often don't live up to the title.

We elevate musicians, actors and politicians to the title, but they fall short as well.

But if you want to know who the real heroes in life are, I bet all you would have to do is ask Dan Woolley.

Mr. Woolley is a filmmaker who was pulled out of the collapsed concrete and debris of the Hotel Montana in Port-au-Prince Haiti. And I'm sure if he used the title of hero it would be to describe the members of the Fairfax County Urban Search and Rescue Team, also known as VATF1.

Within hours after the tragic earthquake hit Haiti, VATF1 scrambled into action and deployed to Haiti, and thank God they did. In all, the unit saved the lives of 16 people, Mr. Woolley being one of them.

In doing so, the team worked alongside other international rescuers, night and day, with little or no sleep in what was a humanitarian effort requiring international proportions.

In all, the United States has three such urban rescue teams as VATF1 that are capable of deploying internationally and domestically. VATF1 has a track record stemming from natural disasters like hurricane Katrina to man-made disasters like the Oklahoma City bombing and the September 11th Pentagon attack.

VATF1 is in partnership with the U.S. Agency for International Development's Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance -- which by the way shows a perfect example of good government where federal and local officials partnership effectively.

The size of the force is approximately 200 members made up of firefighters, paramedics, physicians, canine handlers, structural engineers and experts in communications and heavy rigging. Of equal importance are the numbers of family members that sacrifice time with VATF1 members who are prepared to deploy rapidly with little notice.

Deployments can mean up to two weeks away from family members.

Also, these team members train monthly without receiving pay for their training. That speaks highly of their dedication.

All Virginians should have a sense of pride in what this team does. And yes, we should also take pride in our government and its efforts to work with teams like VATF1 to respond to disasters, including those that happen in other countries.

The members of VATF1 are some of the greatest ambassadors of goodwill that our country has to offer. So much of what other nations hear about America falls in the negative category.

But when teams of rescuers, coming from just outside our nation's capitol are the first on the scene of an international crisis like that which Haiti is facing, what people see contradicts what they might hear.

So without a doubt, the people who make up VATF1 deserve to be called heroes. Although I would imagine they would shy away from that if it was mentioned in their presence.

Nevertheless, they remind us that heroes are not the people you see on television who you most likely will never meet. They are the people living right in your neighborhoods whose kids go to your kids schools and who often worship and work with us.

But when disaster strikes, the members of VATF1 represent all of us well and each time earn the title of hero.

Davon Gray works in Washington, D.C., and resides in Woodbridge. Contact him at davongray@verizon.net.